Machine



(N0 Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 2;

0. CHASE. MOWING MACHINE.

d N0.412,598. l Patentedo0t.3,1a89.

` oScAE CHASE, OERUTLAND,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

onto, ASSIcNoR or ONE-HALE Tol N. D. HoLr, or SAME PLACE.

MowlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 412,598, dated October8, 1889.

Application filed December 17, 188B. Serial No. 293,855. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR CHASE, of Rut land, in the county of Meigs andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMowing-Machines and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, suchas will enable othersskilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to an improvement in mowing-machines; and itconsists. in the arrangement and combination of parts which will be morefully described hereinafter.

The objectsof my invention are to provide a mowing-machine in which thecutter is given its `movement by a Shaft which is provided with twocranks, whichas the shaft revolves causes the operating-lever to give tothe cutter a reciprocating movement; to communicate the power to thecutter in a more direct manner than can be done with a machine which isrun by a pitman; to form the box for the shaft of two parts, which aremade to open and close like a pair of shears,

and to pivot these parts to the operating-lever which moves the cutter,and to produce a mowing-machine which is Strong, durable, and reliable.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a mower-frame which embodies my invention.Figs. 2 and 3 are elevations of the Same, taken from the stubble andgrain Sides, respectively. Fig. 4 is a detached view in plan of the shoeand the bearings connected thereto. Fig. 5 isl adetached view of the boxin which the cutterdriving shaftrevolves. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectionon the dotted lines Y Y of Fig. 1, showing the curved bearing forthefront end of the shaft. Fig. 7 is a detached view of the frame in whichthe Shaft operates. Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-section taken through thepivots of the box in which the cutter-driving shaft revolves. Fig. 9 isa vertical 'section taken through the ball-and-socket joint of thecutter. Fig. 10 is a detached View of the operating-shaftof the cutter.Figs. 11 and 12 are perspectives, respectively, of the castings P'Q,which are attached to opposite sides of the shoe. Fig. 13 is a detachedview of the curved connection J.

A represents a stationary axle, which has the fralneB secured thereto.The frame B is made of the shape shown in Fig. 1 and projects forwardfrom the axle a suitable distance beyond the rear end of the shoe. Thefront end of the frame B is Secured to and supported wholly by thesupport J ,which has. its inner end journaled upon the shaft E and braceH, while the rear end of the frame is secured to the axle A. This frameB projects forward and forms a support for t-he operating partsconnected with the shoe C and the cutter. The rear end of this frameprojects back beyond the axle A at its outer corner, and in thisrearward projection is formed the bearing for the rear end of the shaftwhich operates the cutter. Journaled at one end of this frame B, and ina direct line with the operating-shaft E, is the frame D. This frameprojects forward at its front end beyond the front end of the frame B,and is there provided with the two arms F G upon its opposite corners.The rear portion of the frame is nearly semicircular, as shown in Figs.7 and 8 and isv supported at its rear end upon the shaft E vand at itsfront end by the shoe, to which it is pivotally connected by the arms FG. These two arms are connected horizontally near their rear ends andacross the front end of the frame D by brace H, which forms, also, abearing for the front end of the shaft E. At a suitable distance in therear of the brace H there is formed a second brace I, which also extendshorizontally across and forms a bearing for the curved connection J,through which the front end of the shaft E passes, and which connectionis secured at its outer end to the frame B, as shown. The connection Jis provided with a bearing r upon its front end, as shown in Fig. 13,and this bearing passes through the front brace H, so as to form thepivot -upon which the frameD turns at its front end when the cutter-baris raised into a vertical position. The outer end of the connection Jbeing secured rigidly to the front end of the frame B, the connectionhas no movement whatever of its own; but the frame D and shoe C can beturned loo through about a quarter of a circle. This connection J iscurved, as shown, so as not to interfere with the movement of the leverY when the cutter-bar is raised into a vertical position in the usualmanner. An opening is made through the frame D between the two braces HI, and down through which opening the curved connection J passes, thusallowing the frame D to move freely, and at the same time serving as a journal-bearin g upon which the front end of the frame D turns and toconnect the front ends of the frames B D together. For the purpose ofraising and lowering the cutter through this frame D there is journaledupon the rear portion of the frame B, just in advance of the axle A, theoperating-segment K, provided with an operating-lever a2, and whichmeshes with the pinion L upon the shaft M, which is provided at itsfront end with a pinion N, and which pinion meshes with a curved rackO,secured to and which projects over the top of the frame D near itsfront end and above the top of the operating-shaft E. The rear end ofthe shaft M is journaled in the crosspiece s on the frame B, while itsfront end is journaled in the outer end of the support J. Vhen thesegment K is turned in one direction, the shaft M is caused to revolve,and the pinion N upon its front end, meshing with the curved rack O,causes the shoe to be rocked and the finger-bar and cutter to be raisedwith the frame D, to which the rack O is secured. Vhen the segment K isturned in the opposite direetion,the cutter descends.

The shoe C is of ordinary construction, with the exception that tlie twocastings P Q are made entirely separate therefrom and are bolted inposition thereon. The two castings P Q (shown in Figs. ll and l2) areplaced in openings in opposite edges of the shoe, and each one of themis provided with feet t, which rest upon the'bottom of the shoe, andthrough which clamping-bolts are passed. These castings are maderemovable from the shoe, so as to allow the shoe to be loosely attachedto the frame D. The casting P is provided with a journal R, which passesthrough an aperture in the arm F upon the frame D, and the casting Q isprovided with the collar S, forming a journal, which passes through anaperture in the arm G of the frame D. This arm is provided with a muchlarger aperture than the arm F, and a slot is cut through the lowerportion of the arm G and through the journal S, which is larger than thejournal R. The journal S and its bearing in the arm G are made largerthan the journal R and its bearing in the arm F, and while the journal Sis made tubular the one R is made solid. The journal S is made tubularand has a slot lv made through its under side at the same time that aportion of the lower edge of the casting Q is cut away, so as to allowthe head of the cutter to be removed end wise by first detachin g thecutter from its operating-lever and then pulling it endwise across andthrough the shoe. The lower edge of the casting P is cut away at u, soas to allow the cutter to be passed through under it and be reciprocatedfreely.

The cutter-operating shaft E has secured to its rear end thebalance-wheel U, so as to cause an even and continuous movement, andthis wheel U has formed around its hub teeth or cogs a, so as to form apinion through which the driving-power of the shaft E is received. Therear end of the shaft E, where it has its bearing in the rear part ofthe frame B, and the front end, where it bears in the curved connectionJ, extend in a straight line at a right angle to the face of the wheelU, while that portion in between these two straight portions is formedon a line obliquely to and crossing at its center, the line of thestraight portions forming two cranks, as shown in Fig. 10. Mounted onthis shaft in between the two ends of the frame D is the box W, which isformed of two parts, which can be opened and closed like a pair ofscissors, and which are provided with pivots X at or near their centers,which enter suitable sockets a in the rear ends of the operating-leverY. Each of the parts of the box W is formed as shown in Fig. 5. The endportions of the boxes, where the cranks of the shaft E revolve in them,are made solid, and these solid portions are provided with bolt-holes,through which bolts are passed for the purpose of clamping the two partsupon the shaft. The central portion of each part W is cut away, asshown, and the two solid end portions of each part of the box areconnected together by a single strip or arm x, and from these strips orarms extend the pivots X. When the box is opened, as shown in Fig. 5,for the insertion of the shaft, the two parts of the box extenddiagonally in relation to each other. The box YV is made in two parts,as shown, so that it can be opened and allow the shaft E to be insertedand removed through the rear end of the frame D. As the shaftE revolves,the two cranks cause the ends of the box W to vibrate horizontally inopposite directions, and thisl vibration or oscillation of the ends.ofthe box in opposite directions causes the operating-lever Yto have anoscila lating motion at its front end for the purpose of operating thecutter. The cranks being turned in opposite directions, one end of thebox XV is moved to the right, while the other end is moved to the left,and this movement is transmitted from the box through the pivots X tothe lever Y, which has but a Very slight movement at its rear end, butwhich has suf iicient movement at its front end to give the cutter thedesired motion. This lever Y extends under the curved rack 0 and beyondthe front brace H of the frame D. In the front end of the lever isformed a hemispherical socket to receive the ball on the inner end of'the cutter. A hemispherical plate Z, prof vided with an arm A upon itsinner side, and which is bent to correspond to the shape of IOO thefront end' o f/ theV lever Y, forms the outer half of the-socket. Thearm A' catches under a cross-bar B', formed upon the under side of thelever Y, so as to be held in position at this point, and a single boltC', passed down through the outer end of the lever Y and thesocket-blade Z, secures the two parts tightlyin position. Were it notfor the crossbar B' and the arm A' a second bolt would be necessary. Theball D', formed upon the inner end of-the cutter-bar, ts snugly in thesocket thus formed and receives motion directly from the lever Y. Thisconstruction is used so as to communicate the power to the cutter in amore direct manner than can be done with a machine run with a pitman, asthe lever here shown always has its end to lwork on a direct line withthe cutter, and

consequently there .is no clamping, as is the case with the pitmanmachines. This balland-socket joint is placed in a direct line betweenthe journals R S.

Pivotcd upon the rear end of'the casting B is an operating-lever F', andconnected to this operating-lever by a ball-and-socket joint is aconnecting-rod Z, which is connected by a ball-and-socket joint at itsfront end to the vertical post or arm H', which is secured at its lowerend directly to the shoe. By means of the lever F', connecting-rod, andthe vertical post or arm the shoe can be raised and lowered at its ownend at the will of the operator. This operating-lever F will beheld inany desired position by means of the catchV I', ofr any suitableconstruction.

Extending across the bottom of the frame D and projecting rearwardly isa brace 2, and clamped to this brace 2 by means of the bolt 3 and thenut 4 is a support 5, which is secured to the' lever Y, so as to helpsupport it at its end.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a mower, thecombination of the axle, the stationary frame B, secured thereto, the

pivoted frame D, and the shoe with the op.-

erating-shaft, which extends through the frame D and is provided withtwo cranks` near its center, which extend in a line with each other, thedriving-pinion on the rear end of the shaft, the vibrating box appliedto the cranked portion of the shaft and vprovided with pivots, theoperating-lever connected at its rear end to the box, and the cutterconnected at its inner end to the lever, substantially as shown.

2. In annower, the combination of the axle,

the stationary frame B, secured thereto, the

pivoted frame D, and the shoe with the operating-shaft, which extendsthrough the frames and is providedl with two cranks which extend in aline with each other, the driving-pinion applied to the rear end of theshaft, the box formed of two parts which have their opposite ends tocatch above and below the two cranks, and each part provided with apivot, the operating-lever having its Vrear end pronged, so as to makeconnection with the two parts of the box, and the cutter connected tothe front end of the lever, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the shoe, the two separate castings P Q, providedwith journals R S, and the frame D, provided at its front end with thetwo arms F G and journaled upon the two castings, substantially as setforth.

4. The combination of the shoe, the casting Q, provided with the bearingS, having a slot through one side, with the frame D, provided with theextension-arm G, having an opening formed therein to it upon the journalS, the

4extension or arm being cut away upon one side, so that the cutter canbe removed and replaced endwise, substantially as specified.

5. The combination'of the axle, the frame B, secured thereto, thepivoted frame D, and the shoe loosely connected to the front end of theframe D with the driving-shat`t provided with two cranks, which extendthrough the frame D, and upon which the frame turns, the box W, providedwith pivots and placed upon the cranked portion of the shaft, the curvedconnection J, secured at its outer end to the frame B and having thedriving-shaft to extend through its inner end, and the forkedoperating-lever connected to the box at its v rear end and the cutter,the frame D being lprovided at its front end with thebraces H I and thearms F G, and the shoe with the castingsP Q, having the .journals R S,substantially as shown.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OSCAR CHASE. Witnesses:

CHAs. F. HoL'r, N. N. Hom.

IOO

